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RE: Green glowing powder emitting gammas
Just a little FYI on US Radium Corp:
NPL LISTING HISTORY
Proposed Date: 12/01/82
Final Date: 09/01/83
U.S. RADIUM CORP.
NEW JERSEY
EPA ID# NJD980654172
EPA REGION 2
CONGRESSIONAL DIST. 10
Essex County
City of Orange
Other Names:
U.S. Radium
Site Description
The former U.S. Radium Corporation plant site covers 2 acres in the City of Orange. The site is a former radium-processing facility where extraction, production, application, and distribution took place from about 1915 through 1926. Approximately ½ ton of ore per day was processed and disposed of on and off the site. The original facility buildings were removed in 1999 as part of the remedial action. In addition, radium-contaminated soils and debris have been identified at more than240 noncontiguous properties in the vicinity of the plant site and at various satellite locations throughout the municipalities of Orange, West Orange and South Orange. Investigations to identify other radium-contaminated properties associated with the site are still on-going. The noncontiguous vicinity and satellite properties are occupied by residences, light industries, offices, grocery stores, and apartment buildings. The main site is located in a densely populated, urban residential neighborh!
ood.
Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through Federal actions.
Threats and Contaminants
Soil contains radium-226 and other radioactive materials. The radium-226 decays to
radon gas and radon decay products which can concentrate in basements and other
ground-level enclosed spaces. Residents who are directly exposed to radiation, inhale
radioactive dust particles, or inadvertently ingest radioactive particles from the site may
suffer adverse health effects in the form of an increased risk of certain types of cancer.
Workers and customers of commercial properties would be similarly affected.
Cleanup Approach
The site is being addressed in two stages: immediate actions and a long-term remedial action
focusing on cleanup of the entire site.
Response Action Status
Immediate Actions: EPA has installed radon mitigation systems and gamma
radiation shielding at certain residential and commercial properties where elevated
levels have been detected, thereby minimizing the potential for exposure at these
properties. In addition, a fence was installed around the perimeter of the main site to prevent
trespassers from coming into contact with contaminated material.
Entire Site: Remedies for the site were selected in two Records of Decision, signed in
September 1993 and August 1995. The remedial action involves the excavation and offsite
disposal of radium-contaminated material at the former U.S. Radium plant site, and at affected residential and commercial properties. As stated earlier, more than 240 contaminated
properties have been identified to date; investigations are ongoing and over 650 properties have already been investigated. This will be a final remedy for these properties. The long-term soil remedy has been divided into phases. The remedial actions for Phase 1 and Phase
2 (71 properties) started in January 1997 and were completed in December 1998. The remedial actions for Phase 3 (63 properties) began in September 1997 and were completed in October 1999. Phase 4 (the plant site and 23 other properties) began in September 1998 and it was completed in September 2001. Phase 5 (37 properties) began in September 2000 and was completed in December2002. Phase 6 (34 properties) began in September 2001 and was completed in September 2003, and Phase 7 (currently 12 properties) was initiated in September 2002.
EPA has also initiated an investigation to determine if the U.S. Radium site has caused
contamination of ground water. That investigation began in 2002 and required the installation of monitoring wells.
Cleanup Progress (Actual Construction Underway)
The remedy is expected to be performed in seven phases, but additional phases may be necessary. Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the remedial action were completed in December 1998 and resulted in the removal of approximately 25,000 cubic yards (approximately 38,400 tons) of radium contamination. Phase 3 was completed in October 1999 and resulted in the removal of approximately 9,000 cubic yards (approximately 14,400 tons) of radium-contaminated material. Phase 4 was completed in September 2001 and resulted in the removal of approximately 34,000 cubic yards (approximately54,400 tons) of radium-contaminated material. Phase 5 was completed in December 2002 and resulted in the removal of approximately 10,000 cubic yards (approximately 16,000 tons) of radiumcontaminated
material. Phase 6 was completed in September 2003 and addressed approximately
5,000 cubic yards of radium-contaminated material. Phase 7, which is currently underway, is
expected to address approximately 2,000 cubic yards of radium-contaminated material. Property investigations continue to be performed and additional phases of remedial action may be required.
EPA also initiated an investigation to determine if the U.S. Radium site has caused contamination of ground water.
Site Repository
Orange Public Library, 348 Main Street, Orange, New Jersey 07050
Floyd W. Flanigan B.S.Nuc.H.P.
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu
[mailto:owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu]On Behalf Of Gerald Nicholls
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2005 7:40 AM
To: radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu; cooperc@teleport.com
Subject: Re: Green glowing powder emitting gammas
I would. Some of the paint materials containing radium that I have seen
had dried out over time and could pose an inhalation hazard. Also, he
didn't give you any indication of what the exposure was "at a
distacnce."
Gerald Nicholls
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
609-633-7964
>>> Chuck Cooper <cooperc@teleport.com> 01/31/05 03:26 AM >>>
On another list discussing art materials, I ran across this recent
post:
> I have green glow powder that says it is
> from the united states radium corp
>
> and it is radioactive - slightly
>
> my scintilating detector picks it up at a distance.
I can only assume that he has some old radium paint base, should I try
to track this guy down?
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